A spinnerbait's a spinnerbait. Right?
Well, I'm the first to admit that all spinnerbaits will catch fish. But after years on the water, I've learned they are definitely not all built the same.
Before starting Border Bomber Lures, I spent many years fishing all styles of lures, but there was one bait I would always tie on at the start of every session: the spinnerbait. An abomination of a lure made up of wire, lead, rubber skirted material, a bit of paint, and some flashy metal blades. Said like that, you wouldn’t believe me that these things work, but every Murray Cod angler knows a spinnerbait catches fish.
I fished a lot of different brands over the years, and one thing stayed true: they all caught fish. I don’t think I’ve fished a spinnerbait I haven’t caught a fish on, but there was always something that I felt could be improved. I started by modifying old spinnerbaits, making adjustments, changing blades, trailers, and skirts. This is what led me to start Border Bomber Lures.
After a lot of testing, trial and error, I started to connect a few dots and found these key things improve the usability of the spinnerbait among heavy timber, improve hookups, and make it a more versatile bait.
1. Blade position — it changes how fish eat the lure
Blades need to be spinning directly over the hooks or slightly in front. We are trying to create a focal point with the blades – a place for the fish to hone in on and strike. If a blade is spinning behind the hook, I’ve found it increases the chance of short strikes.
2. Wire form — compact beats long in heavy timber
I found a wire form with a more compact size helps with blade positioning and navigation through heavy structure. When being brought over structure, a longer wire form allows the spinnerbait to roll to its side more, and due to the larger vertical size, it is likely to get hung up easier.
3. Stinger hooks — the trade-off nobody talks about
These are a bit of a touchy subject, but in my experience, I prefer to fish without them. While fishing heavy structure, the stinger is more likely to get you hung up. I’ve found that running a longer shank hook prevents the bait from snagging and also improves hookup rates. If you are running trailer plastics, stinger hooks will also affect the action of the plastic. A hard-kicking paddle tail trailer is designed to move – don't kill its action with a stinger hook.
4. Skirts — the forgotten focal point
The skirt adds bulk to the head of the spinnerbait, and the length plays a vital role in improving hookups. The skirt is another way to create a focal point for the fish to lock in on. Much like the blades, it should end around the bend of the hook.
5. Blades and trailers — match the head, match the fishing
There are a number of different sized blades and soft plastic trailer options, but it is important to match them to the size of the head and how you would like to fish. I like my spinners to be versatile. Although I don’t think one size fits all, if I’m fishing a system of water, I should be able to stick with the same bait without the need to change.
How these principles show up in our range
Every design choice in the Border Bomber range comes back to these five things. It's not marketing, it's just how the lures get built.
The Creek Seeker is the all-rounder — compact wire form, blade over the hook, and a skirt that finishes at the bend. It's the one I'd hand someone who wants to fish structure without losing lures.
The Cod Bomber takes the same principles and scales them up for big fish in deep rock. Heavier head, bigger blades, longer shank 8/0.
The Green Seeker is the tandem setup, for when you want more flash and thump in the water.
The Dual Wielder leans hardest into vibration and hang time, which is what you want when fish are shut down and you need to keep the lure in front of them.
The short version
A spinnerbait is a simple lure made of simple parts. But the way those parts are arranged, the length of the wire, where the blade sits, where the skirt ends and what you hang off the back, is the difference between a lure that catches fish and one that just looks like it should.
Next time you're at the tackle shop, do me a favour. Pick one up and look at it properly before you buy it. That's all this article is asking.
Written by Brandon, Border Bomber Lures. Still out there casting.
